Numerical Investigation of the Influence of Seismic Excitation Characteristics on the Response of Hunchbacked Block-type Quay Walls with Varying Geometries

Ehterami, Ali Akabr; Ebrahimian, Babak; Noorzad, Ali

doi:10.48303/jsee.2024.2039374.1121

Numerical Investigation of the Influence of Seismic Excitation Characteristics on the Response of Hunchbacked Block-type Quay Walls with Varying Geometries

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Ali Akabr Ehterami

Babak Ebrahimian

Ali Noorzad

Faculty of Civil, Water and Environmental Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University (SBU), Tehran, Iran

10.48303/jsee.2024.2039374.1121

Abstract

Using the finite element method, this study investigates the seismic behavior of hunchbacked block-type gravity quay walls with varying configurations. The research employs adaptive meshing strategies and error-based adaptivity techniques to refine the plane strain FE meshes. Interface elements are utilized to simulate discontinuities along the wall height, particularly between concrete blocks, and to model the interaction between the quay wall and the adjacent soil medium. The developed FE models are validated against data from 1g shaking table tests available in the literature. The study evaluates the seismic performance of three quay wall models, each with a unique configuration, under a range of seismic loads, including peak ground accelerations from 0.1g to 0.9g and frequencies from 3.0 Hz to 9.0 Hz. The findings indicate that increasing hunch height and optimizing the upper inclination angle effectively reduce lateral earth pressures and horizontal displacements, enhancing seismic performance. The study recommends positioning critical structures, infrastructure, and sensitive buildings in the backfill area at a distance greater than the wall height, as maximum backfill settlement occurs between 0.55H and 0.65H from the quay wall, where significant settlement poses risks to facilities. Additionally, acceleration amplification in the backfill decreases at distances greater than the wall height, indicating reduced seismic impact.

Keywords

Hunchbacked quay wall

Seismic performance

Performance-based design

Nonlinear dynamic analysis

Soil-structure interaction

1g shaking table

Subjects